Greater celandine is a perennial herbaceous plant with an erect habit, and reaches 30–120 cm (12–47 in) high. The blue-green[3] leaves arepinnate with lobed and wavy margins, up to 30 cm (12 in) long. When injured, the plant exudes a yellow to orangelatex.[3][4]: 96
The flowers consist of four yellow petals, each about 18 mm (0.71 in) long, with twosepals. A double-flowered variety occurs naturally. The flowers appear from late spring to summer, May to September (in the UK),[3] inumbelliformcymes of about four flowers.
The seeds are small and black, borne in a long, cylindricalcapsule. Each has anelaiosome, which attracts ants to disperse the seeds (myrmecochory).[3]
The namecelandine comes fromLate Latincelidonia, from earlier Latinchelidonia orchelidonium, and ultimately fromAncient Greekχελιδόνιον, fromχελιδών (chelidṓn) 'swallow', hence the common nameswallowwort. Ancient writers said that the flower bloomed when the swallows returned and faded when they left.[9][10]Chelidonium majus has also been calledgreat celandine,[11]nipplewort,[11]tetterwort,[12] or simplycelandine.[11] The common nametetterwort also refers toSanguinaria canadensis.[13]
It is considered an aggressive invasive plant in parts of North America and an invasive plant in other areas. InWisconsin, for example, it is a restricted plant.[15][16] Control is obtained mainly via pulling or spraying the plant before seed dispersal.
The characteristic latex also containsproteolytic enzymes and the phytocystatinchelidostatin, acysteine protease inhibitor.[23] It is a traditional folk remedy againstwarts in France,[24] German-speaking countries,[25] Hungary,[26] and the UK. It is used in the preparation of a range of off-the-shelf treatments for warts and skin conditions.[27]
Chelidonium is used to makeUkrain, a drug that has been promoted for the treatment of cancer and viral infections but is not known to be effective.[28][29]
The fresh herb is no longer used officially. No dose-finding studies exist and the reported clinical studies are characterised by a considerable heterogeneity.[30]
Except for homeopathic medicines, the drug is no longer used in most English-speaking countries. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, extracts of Chelidoni herba are a controversial component of the gastric remedy Iberogast. The OTC-preparation is a top-selling product for the companyBayer, which is now under investigation for not warning consumers of possible hepatotoxic side-effects when taking the drug. Elevated liver-enzymes and toxic hepatitis with a documented fatality have been reported.[31][32]
The aerial parts and roots of greater celandine are used inherbalism. The above-ground parts are gathered during the flowering season and dried at high temperatures. The root is harvested in autumn between August and October and dried. The fresh rhizome is also used. Celandine has a hot and bitter taste. Preparations are made fromalcoholic and hot aqueous extractions. The related plantbloodroot has similar chemical composition and uses to greater celandine.
As far back asPliny the Elder andDioscorides (1st century CE), this herb has erroneously been seen as a detoxifying agent. The root has been chewed to relieve toothache.[34]John Gerard'sHerball (1597) states that "the juice of the herbe is good to sharpen the sight, for it cleanseth and consumeth away slimie things that cleave about the ball of the eye and hinder the sight and especially being boiled with honey in a brasen vessell."[35]
It was formerly used by someRomani people as a foot refresher; modern herbalists use itspurgative properties.[36]The modernherbalistJuliette de Baïracli Levy recommended greater celandine diluted with milk for the eyes and the latex for getting rid of warts.[37]Chelidonium was a favourite herb of the French herbalistMaurice Mességué.Chelidonium majus has traditionally been used for treatment of various inflammatory diseases includingatopic dermatitis.[38] It is also traditionally used in the treatment of gallstones and dyspepsia.[39]
It was also once used to treat liver disorders, owing to the juice's resemblance to bile.[33] However, ingesting plant may actually lead tohepatotoxicity.[41]
^"Swallow".Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 1989.
^Hanzlik, P.J. (1920). "The pharmacology of chelidonin, a neglected alkaloid of chelidonium, or tetterwort".Journal of the American Medical Association.75 (20):1324–1325.doi:10.1001/jama.1920.02620460022007.
^Predny, M.L.; Chamberlain, J.L.; United States. National Park Service (2005).Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis): An Annotated Bibliography. General technical report SRS. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. Retrieved2023-08-23.
^Cahlikova L., Opletal L., Kurfurst M., Macakova K., Kulhankova A., Host'alkova A.,"Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory compounds from Chelidonium majus (Papaveraceae)."Natural Product Communications. 5 (11) (pp 1751–1754), 2010. Date of Publication: 2010.
^Li X.-L., Yao J.-Y., Zhou Z.-M., Shen J.-Y., Ru H.-S., Liu X.-L.,"Activity of the chelerythrine, a quaternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloid from Chelidonium majus L. on Dactylogyrus intermedius."Parasitology Research. 109 (1) (pp 247-252), July 2011
^Park J.E., Cuong T.D., Hung T.M., Lee I., Na M., Kim J.C., Ryoo S., Lee J.H., Choi J.S., Woo M.H., Min B.S.,"Alkaloids from Chelidonium majus and their inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO production in RAW264.7 cells".Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 21 (23) (pp 6960-6963), 2011. Date of Publication: 01 Dec 2011.
^abNiering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979].The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 671.ISBN0-394-50432-1.
^Grieve, Maud (1971).A Modern Herbal: The Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs, & Trees with All Their Modern Scientific Uses, Volume 1.
^Howard, Michael (1987-05-21).Traditional Folk Remedies. Century Paperbacks. Ebury Press. pp. 146–147.ISBN978-0-7126-1731-4.
^Gabsik Yang; Kyungjin Lee; Mi-Hwa Lee; So-Hyung Kim; In-Hye Ham; Ho-Young Choi (2011). "Inhibitory effects ofChelidonium majus extract on atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice".Journal of Ethnopharmacology.138 (2):398–403.doi:10.1016/j.jep.2011.09.028.PMID21963561.
^Gabriela Mazzanti; Antonella di Sotto; Antonio Franchitto; Caterina Loredana Mammola; Paola Mariani; Sabina Mastrangelo; Francesca Menniti-Ippolito; Annabella Vitalone (2009). "Chelidonium majus is not hepatotoxic in Wistar rats, in a 4 weeks feeding experiment".Journal of Ethnopharmacology.126 (3):518–524.doi:10.1016/j.jep.2009.09.004.PMID19761826.
^Rousseau, Jacques 1945 Le Folklore Botanique De Caughnawaga. Contributions de l'Institut botanique l'Universite de Montreal 55:7-72 (p. 45)
